FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — MD Helicopters used APSCON 2026 to reinforce its commitment to the airborne public safety market, highlighting ongoing production of the MD530F, support for existing 500-series operators, and the development of the next-generation MD564.
The Airborne Public Safety Association’s annual conference, held in Fort Lauderdale for the first time, attracted more than 150 exhibitors and displayed 12 aircraft, while preliminary attendance exceeded that of the previous five editions.
According to MD Helicopters, discussions throughout the event centered on three key topics: aircraft currently being delivered, long-term fleet support, and the future evolution of the company’s light helicopter family.
The manufacturer said conversations with pilots, tactical flight officers, maintenance personnel, unit managers, and agency leaders focused on real-world operational requirements including endurance, payload, confined-area performance, sensor integration, and sustainment.
MD Helicopters also met with mission equipment suppliers, completion centers, and service providers responsible for transforming standard aircraft into specialized airborne law enforcement platforms equipped with EO/IR turrets, searchlights, communications systems, downlinks, mission consoles, and customized interiors.
MD530F Production Continues
The company emphasized that the MD530F remains in active production and continues to be delivered to operators worldwide.
Designed specifically for demanding missions, the helicopter combines a compact footprint with high maneuverability, excellent pilot visibility, confined-area capability, a flat-floor cabin, and strong hot-and-high performance, characteristics that have made the MD500 family a long-standing choice for airborne public safety operations.
For existing operators, MD Helicopters also promoted several modernization programs designed to extend fleet capability without purchasing new aircraft, including:
- Super D upgrades for enhanced performance and reliability.
- Super E upgrades providing increased power, payload, and hot-and-high capability while retaining the existing engine.
- 500E to 530FF conversion program.
- Continued support for the MD530N NOTAR fleet.
Support Beyond Delivery
The company stressed that long-term aircraft availability remains as important as performance, highlighting its global support network, authorized service centers, pilot and maintenance training, technical publications, and continuous service documentation intended to keep aircraft mission-ready throughout their operational lives.
Introducing the MD564
The future MD564 generated significant interest during APSCON, with operators seeking information about the aircraft’s expected capabilities.
Rather than introducing an entirely new airframe, the MD564 builds upon the established 500-series type certificate while incorporating technologies already proven on military Little Bird variants.
The new model is expected to feature a six-blade main rotor replacing the current five-blade system, together with a four-blade tail rotor, improving lift, efficiency, ride quality, and directional stability while maintaining the compact rotor diameter that allows operations from confined landing zones.
Power will come from a Rolls-Royce 250-C47E/3 engine producing up to 675 shaft horsepower and incorporating dual-channel Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC), reducing pilot workload during demanding missions.
Among its published design targets, the MD564 is expected to hover out of ground effect at maximum takeoff weight up to 14,500 feet under standard atmospheric conditions.
Payload is also expected to increase substantially, with approximately 650 pounds of additional internal payload capacity and roughly 750 pounds more external load capability compared with the MD530F.
The aircraft is designed to offer approximately four hours of endurance, more than 400 nautical miles of VFR range, and retain the Garmin G500 TXi avionics suite with IFR capability.
Operator Priorities
According to MD Helicopters, several operational themes consistently emerged during conversations with airborne public safety agencies.
- Mission equipment continues to increase aircraft weight, making payload a growing concern.
- Hot-and-high performance is becoming increasingly important beyond traditional mountain operators.
- Long-term sustainment, including parts availability and maintenance support, is a major acquisition consideration.
- Operators seek manufacturers capable of supporting aircraft throughout decades of service, not only at delivery.
MD Helicopters concluded that both the in-production MD530F and the future MD564 represent successive evolutions of the same proven platform, developed through continuous feedback from public safety operators.
The company also confirmed it will participate in APSCON 2027, scheduled to take place in Reno, Nevada, from July 19–23.
MD Helicopters noted that all MD564 performance figures represent current design targets and remain subject to change during development and certification.
MD Helicopters, headquartered in Mesa, Arizona, manufactures the MD500 series of light helicopters for military, law enforcement, utility, emergency medical, and commercial operators worldwide. The company also provides fleet modernization programs, training, maintenance support, and aftermarket services for its global customer base.